Military Historian, Artist & Consultant

Supply or Sourcing

The Scarlet Gunner has its own range of items of Full Dress clothing, and can source most others; it does not deal in weapons.

Beginning in 1986, the British Army's blue cloth home service helmet for non-commissioned ranks was redeveloped from a pattern of just before World War 1. The impetus for this was interest expressed by Bands coupled with a wish on our part to offer Regiments an alternative to assorted unauthorised models, including helmets retired from various police forces. Early models of The Scarlet Gunner helmet were made in the traditional way from lapped pieces of cork, and the covering was of barathea – which was incorrect but all that could be sourced at the time. Later cork became unobtainable in the correct quality and our current model helmets are made of pressed and stiffened felt with a covering of blue wool napped cloth. The shape is excellent and the helmets are waterproof and strong.

We have been favoured in the past with orders for traditional fully fitted helmets together with their helmet plates (or large star plate badges) by:

The Princess of Wales’s Royal Regiment

The King’s Regiment

The Royal Anglian Regiment

The Yorkshire Regiment (formed 2006)

The Mercian Regiment (formed 2007)

The Gloucestershire Regiment

The Royal Gloucestershire Berkshire and Wiltshire Regiment

The Staffordshire Regiment (3rd Volunteer Battalion)

Royal Army Medical Corps

Royal Army Ordnance Corps

The Royal Logistic Corps

All these plates, and others, are currently in stock.

We offer a full range of fittings or furniture for the home service helmet – in gilding metal or nickel plate for collectors and re-enactors, and in bright electro gilt for Regiments and Bands.

With Army Cadet Force Bands and Corps of Drums particularly in mind we have also developed a slouch hat as worn by many Regular and Volunteer units of the British Army during the 2nd Anglo-Boer War ending in 1902, and on up to just before the outbreak of the Great War in 1914. Our model is blue as worn by the Cinque Ports Battalion of The Royal Sussex Regiment, and others. It has an adjustable black leather chinstrap and it can be completed with the Regimental capbadge on the turned up near side and set off with a coloured plume. The cost of this headdress is around 20% that of a home service helmet, and is as popular with girls as with boys – both features which we trust will appeal to cadet units, cadets and their parents.